Curbing the ‘fake’ practice
GND varsity to post degrees online
Amritsar, August 6
Prof A.S. Brar, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, has said the degrees of all examinations conducted by the University during the last five years would be posted on the Internet during the current year.Prof A.S Brar, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, addresses mediapersons in Amritsar on Friday. Photo: Vishal Kumar

Landlords beware, cops watching you
48 cases registered against defaulters, who did not furnish details about their servants and tenantsAmritsar, August 6
Alarmed over the rising cases of crime involving migrant servants, the city police has launched a drive against such residents who failed to get the antecedents of their servants or tenants verified. Two days back, two servants decamped with cash and arms from Race Course Road here.

Inundated Holy City
Drainage Wing shoots letter to MC authorities
Amritsar, August 6
Is the Amritsar administration equipped to deal with heavy rains? A look at the massively water-logged city after the recent showers would cause even the die-hard optimist to answer in the negative.

Commuting woes: People walk through a flooded street in
Amritsar. Photo: Vishal Kumar

Pingalwara founder remembered
18th Death Anniversary The All-India Pingalwara Charitable Society organises 4-day programmesAmritsar, August 6
The four-day programmes held to remember the founder of the All India Pingalwara Charitable Society Bhagat Puran Singh, concluded with the bhog of Akhand Path.

Young World
Good results in PTU exams
Amritsar, August 6
The students of Baba Kuma Singh Ji Engineering College brought laurels to the college by scoring high marks in the PTU examinations held in May and June 2010. Eight students
---Sakshi Mahajan, Vikram Sharma, Radhika Bhagat, Ridhi kapoor, Tammana Sood, Rupinder
Kaur, Kanika Malhotra and Kanika Kapoor --- scored above 80 per cent. As many as 46 students scored first class.Schoolchildren present a dance item in Amritsar. A Tribune photo

Century-old pipal tree axed
Amritsar, August 6
Almost a century-old pipal tree at busy intersection of Chatiwind Chowk, just a few metres away from the historic shrine of Shaheed Baba Deep Singh, has been axed.
The incident has shocked the environmentalists, who are working hard to make the city green. What is more deplorable is that no authority is taking the responsibility for the incident.

Takhtupura case: ‘SIT working to protect culprits’
Amritsar, August 6
The Bharti Kissan Union (Ekta) alleged that the Special Investigation Team of the police constituted to find the culprits behind the murder of farmer leader Sadhu Singh Takhtupura was actually working to shield the real culprits.

Honour for city doctor
Amritsar, August 6
Dr N.S. Neki, professor of medicine, Government Medical College and Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, has been awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP), Edinburgh, England. He was the only one from North India bestowed with this award, while two doctors were from South India, claimed Dr Neki in a press release issued here. It is the highest academic recognition in the field of medical science, he added.
— TNS

Amritsar, August 6
Prof A.S. Brar, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, has said the degrees of all examinations conducted by the University during the last five years would be posted on the Internet during the current year.

He said the path breaking move would help in assessing the accuracy of the degrees and curtailing the cases of fake degrees.

Brar, who has been heading the varsity for nearly a little over a year, said two nobel laureates, Dr Kurt Wurthrich from USA and Dr Richard Ernst from Switzerland would be honoured by the university with Honours Causa Degrees in the 37th Annual Convocation to be held in March next year.

He took some revolutionary decisions during his new assignment after resigning from first stint of Vice-Chancellor of Lucknow University. The varsity pioneered in the north region by starting online admissions and counselling, bringing transparency in the examination and evaluation system. Doing away the entrance test for admissions it introduced the Credit-Based Evaluation System similar to prestigious IITs. Having taught at IIT Delhi for a long it was but natural for him to implement the mechanism at this varsity located close to International border with Pakistan.

He said, “India Today ranked the Guru Nanak Dev University at No. 16 among the top 20 universities in India. If we exclude the Central Government funded universities, we stand at ninth place, a rank higher than any other university in the north.

Prof Brar said for the successful completion of online admission procedure, the university has setup 10 help desks in the computer centre to help the applicants. He said still the online admission counselling for State level Law, B.Ed and MBA-MCA, was under progress.

As per the credit based evaluation system, the teachers would be responsible for designing of courses, set question papers and evaluate them. He said that the new system would also ensure continuing in the teaching and assessment. He said the students would be evaluated continuously in the minor and major tests and quizzes.

Guru Nanak Dev University is committed for the upliftment of rural masses, keeping this in view, the Vice-Chancellor submitted a proposal to the Government of Punjab to provide coaching to the matriculation passed students from rural areas for admission to Indian Institutes of Technology. He with a financial support of Rs. 1.4 crore from the State government had setup a Progressive Education Society. This Society has completed the process of admission of fifty students in +1 and the classes have started at Khalsa College Public School. These 50 students have been selected on the basis of an Entrance Test which was conducted at State level. Initially, this project would for five years and it would be extended subsequently keeping in view its success rate.

He said in order to encourage and promote research and teaching, the University has already increased the percentage of the budget allocation by 63.56 percent. To promote the quality education in the rural areas, the University has decided to start University Colleges in the rural areas of Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran and Kapurthala districts. In this regard, the University has already started a College has already been started Bebe Nanaki College at village Mithra in Kapurthala district from this academic session. Remaining two rural colleges would be started very shortly, he added.

Amritsar, August 6
Alarmed over the rising cases of crime involving migrant servants, the city police has launched a drive against such residents who failed to get the antecedents of their servants or tenants verified. Two days back, two servants decamped with cash and arms from Race Course Road here.

The police registered 48 cases on Wednesday against defaulters who did not inform it before hiring a servant or keeping a tenant in their residential complexes. However, they were released on bail.

The police had already appealed to the residents to inform it before keeping a servant or tenants, especially migrants, after a number of incidents were reported involving migrants from other states. During probes it came to light that these migrants usually do not give their original home address and later escaped to their native areas after committing crime.

Police Commissioner Varinder Kumar said, “It is necessary in the larger interest of the public that they get the detailed particulars of their servants registered and verified with their nearest police stations. This will help the police to verify the character of the servant/tenant from the police station concerned of the state he or she belongs to.” Although the police passed prohibitory orders in this regard under section 144 of the CrPC, the residents were not cooperating with the police, said the authorities. It is to mention here that a migrant servant, Vicky, decamped with a pistol, 24 live cartridges and Rs 25,000, besides two mobile phones in Shastri Nagar after giving some poisonous substance in an omelet to the owners of the house. Another migrant who used to work at their farmhouse also disappeared following the incident. The Commissioner warned that action would be taken against landlords.
— TNS

Amritsar, August 6
Finally sparing a thought for senior citizens, the city police today set up a Senior Citizens’ Cell, headed by an inspector rank officer at the Circuit House police post here.

The cell would address the grievances of elderly people in the city, besides other issues concerning their security and safety.

The cell, in collaboration with several NGOs, would guide them on legal aspects if the need arises. It would work under the direct supervision of the Commissioner of Police, Varinder Kumar Sharma.

“I have observed that about 3-4 such aggrieved senior citizens used to approach me daily and in routine I used to mark it further to the respective police station, but it helped little in solving their problems. In fact, it only added to their woes as the process became very time consuming for them, sometimes even involving making rounds of police stations in order to get their grievances addressed,” said the Commissioner.

While detailing, he said the cell would provide counseling, orientation and legal guidance to the elderly in getting their genuine rights.

Usually, the senior citizens, who are thrown out of their houses by their wards, or undergo harassment at their hands, approach the police, admitted the Police Commissioner.

We will make them aware of their various rights under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, he added.

“The focus would be on providing time-bound justice to them without any hassle,” added Varinder Kumar.

The main objectives behind the setting up of the cell are to coordinate safety and security of senior citizens, monitoring senior citizens by interacting with them on a regular basis, regular advice to area police with respect to the safety of senior citizens residing in their jurisdiction, coordinating police verification of domestic help and helping senior citizens in case of personal problems relating to desertion by children/relatives, legal problems as well as matters relating to property.

I have observed that about 3-4 such aggrieved senior citizens used to approach me daily and in routine I used to mark it further to the respective police station, but it helped little in solving their problems. In fact, it only added to their woes as the process became very time consuming for them, sometimes even involving making rounds of police stations in order to get their grievances addressed
— Police Commissioner

Amritsar, August 6
Is the Amritsar administration equipped to deal with heavy rains? A look at the massively water-logged city after the recent showers would cause even the die-hard optimist to answer in the negative.

Nevertheless, the Amritsar Drainage Circle, too, has predicted a flood-like situation in the holy city, if the present inadequate drainage system is not reviewed and rectified instantly.

A letter to this effect has been shot by the drainage wing to the local municipal authorities, to take stock of the obsolete drainage system and to deal with the situation.

The wing, in this letter, has cited that without taking the concerned department into confidence, how most of the water drainage system, laid down in 1971 on the periphery of the city, had been obstructed, apparently, in the wake of expansion of the city.

Holding the municipal authorities solely responsible for the failure of the drainage system, the wing has cautioned the municipal authorities to immediately
clean drains and disposal system to tackle the heavy rains so that the water logging problem on the streets of Amritsar could be avoided in future.

The letter, a copy of which has been addressed to the Deputy Commissioner and other concerned departments, also talks of the park developed after obstructing the drainage passage by the municipal authorities. Due to this development, water logging problems became prominent in areas like East Mohan Nagar, Sultanwind Road and Gurudwara Shaheedan.

Similarly, the drainage passage adjacent to Majitha road has also been hindered. Verka drain and Tung Dhab have also been converted into filthy slush ponds due to the leakage of sewage.

The recent rains threw life out of gear in the city with rainwater collecting on the roads while commuters had a tough time traveling. Lawrence Road, Madan Mohan Malviya Road, parts of GT Road in the Putlighar area, Kotwali, etc. remained submerged in rainwater.

Official Speak

While confirming about the letter, Amritsar DC KS Pannu said the reply of the letter is yet to arrive, but the administration is gearing up to revamp the drainage system and duties have been assigned to various departments to prevent the water logging problem. “We have inititated getting the drains clean, with the funds generated under the NAREGA Scheme. Similarly, efforts are being made to obstruct the anticipated water overflow from the Ravi river.

MC Commissioner DPS Kharbanda said steps were being initiated to clean the blocked drainage passage. “We have planned to ultimately close the sewage outlets only to be replaced with underground water pipes, to drain out the rain water. This would help in minimising water clogging inside the city.

A souvenir was also released. During the four-day-long programme, a photo exhibition of natural farming and victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy were held. A blood donation camp drew youth and middle aged persons from different walks of life.

Dr Gopal Kabra, an expert, delivered a guest lecture on the Harmful impact of pesticides on the reproductive system and a cultural programme by the students of the Pingalwara Society was performed.

Amritsar, August 6
The students of Baba Kuma Singh Ji Engineering College brought laurels to the college by scoring high marks in the PTU examinations held in May and June 2010. Eight students ---Sakshi Mahajan, Vikram Sharma, Radhika Bhagat, Ridhi kapoor, Tammana Sood, Rupinder Kaur, Kanika Malhotra and Kanika Kapoor --- scored above 80 per cent. As many as 46 students scored first class.

Fencing champs

Jagbir Singh, Vikram Singh and Jugraj Singh of International Fateh Academy claimed top positions in the Punjab State Sub Junior Fencing Championship concluded at Muktsar on August 2.

Amritsar, August 6
Almost a century-old pipal tree at busy intersection of Chatiwind Chowk, just a few metres away from the historic shrine of Shaheed Baba Deep Singh, has been axed.

The incident has shocked the environmentalists, who are working hard to make the city green. What is more deplorable is that no authority is taking the responsibility for the incident.

The civic authorities have passed the buck to an NGO, who was handed over the project of maintenance and beautification of the chowk. However, the NGO denied any role in chopping of the tree.

The environmentalists stressed on the formulation of a concrete policy for saving of ancient and age-old trees from being axed as in the absence of such a policy, the authorities have miserably failed to protect green belts.

Earlier, about 40 trees at Canal Colony, belonging to the Irrigation Department, were chopped by the Punjab Urban Development Authority for the construction of residential flats for officials of the Irrigation Department.

“What is the administration doing? Is it sleeping? On one hand, the Municipal Corporation, district administration and other government agencies are encouraging to plant more and more trees, while on the other it is a complete failure for saving age-old trees that have become a heritage in themselves,” Deepak Babbar, convener, Mission Aagaaz, an NGO, said.

“Its really shocking that a tree like pipal, which provides oxygen 24 hours a day and helps in making environment pollution-free, has been chopped. It is very serious problem and government should address this problem immediately,” said Jagmohan Singh of the Lok Kalyan Samiti.

S.S. Sharma, social worker, who took up the issue, pointed out that, “I have already expressed my apprehension to the MC, district administration, Mayor, Punjab Pollution Control Board and Principal Secretary in this regard about a year ago. But the civic and administrative authorities did not give a little thought over the issue and now the result is there for everyone to see.”

He alleged that he had personally given the information about cutting of trees to the authorities, but nobody turned up at the place or took any initiative to save the tree. He demanded a high-level probe into the episode to bring the culprits, responsible for cutting the tree, to book. He apprehended a conspiracy into the whole incident.

Official Speak

D.P.S. Kharbanda, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation: Kharbanda maintained that the tree was not axed by the civic authorities. A number of chowks had been handed over to different organisations for maintenance and beautification purpose. This particular chowk was handed over to Mata Kaulan trust for the upkeep. “I have shot a letter to Deputy Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu in this regard,” he added.

Tarwinder Singh, Mata Kaulan Trust: Tarwinder Singh of Mata Kaulan Trust, which has been handed over the maintenance of the chowk, said they had not chopped the tree. He said named after Mata Kaulan, the trust which is dedicated to helping poor and downtrodden besides various other human causes, could not do such an irresponsible act. He said it was the handiwork of the “government” and corporation should know who had axed the tree.

Kahan Singh Pannu, Deputy Commissioner: Pannu said he was in Chandigarh and had not seen the letter as yet. But if the corporation had written to them, then they will definitely look into this and prompt action would be taken against the erring persons. “Cutting of age-old trees is definitely a serious crime but in the absence of any policy we are unable to stem the problem. I’ll write to state government for formulation of policy in this regard,” he added.

Tarn Taran, August 6
Jagjit Singh, a constable posted at the Sadar police station, went missing with wireless sets and documents of the police station under mysterious circumstances.

A case under section 409, IPC, has been registered against the constable at the city police station.

The normal functioning of the police station remained affected for more than a day due to the non-availability of wireless sets.

ASI Shingara Singh, who was to relieve Jagjit Singh after he completed his duty, in his statement to the authorities said Jagjit took away the log book, wireless sets, batteries, etc.

Officials said raids had been conducted to trace the missing constable.

Nine booked for
damaging clinic

Nine persons have been booked under sections 452, 342, 160, 323, 427, 148 and 149 of the IPC for damaging the clinic of a private medical practitioner of the border township of Algon Kothi, 40 km from here.

Police sources said here today that the accused had been identified as Sukhwinder Singh, his brother Surjit Singh, Lachhmi (Surjit’s wife), Sukhwinder’s wife Charanjit Kaur, Darshan Singh, Satnam Singh and others. Dr Varinder Rampal, in his statement to the police, said the accused brought a patient to him last night, who was already dead.

The doctor said when he declared the patient brought dead, the accused went on the rampage and damaged his clinic.

Amritsar, August 6
The Bharti Kissan Union (Ekta) alleged that the Special Investigation Team of the police constituted to find the culprits behind the murder of farmer leader Sadhu Singh Takhtupura was actually working to shield the real culprits.

Joginder Singh Ugrahan and Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, President and General Secretary of the Union, respectively, claimed that statements of farmer leaders like Sukhwinder Singh Sukha and others who had sustained injuries during the attack on Takhtupura were not taken in authenticity. They alleged that the statements were taken from the persons of the opposite group in order to consolidate their case.

Meanwhile, another farmer organisation, Kisan Sangharsh Committee, initiated the agitation against a private blanket mill located on Harike-Amritsar highway for reportedly discharging untreated water in adjoining land of the Forest Department.
— TNS